


Confessions

by CornishKid



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Love Confessions, M/M, One Shot Collection, Romance, Silly, Spiders
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-30
Updated: 2014-12-20
Packaged: 2018-02-27 14:35:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2696537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CornishKid/pseuds/CornishKid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of ways that John and Sherlock confess their love for one another.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Please

**Author's Note:**

> I shall post whenever I get an idea for a new ficlet... I suppose I'll also take suggestions for these if you want to leave them in the comment box :-)

It's a week before Christmas -- John's been living at Baker Street since the end of July, ever since they learned the truth about Mary. Sherlock has made a full recovery, though he still winces occasionally whenever he makes a sudden movement that jostles his abdomen. He tries not to wince whenever he knows John can see -- it causes the doctor's jaw to clench and his eyes to go cold. Sherlock hates seeing that expression on his John's face.

"My parents have invited me for Christmas," Sherlock tells John that morning. They are sat in their respective chairs (Sherlock had forgotten how complete the parlor looked with John sitting in his chair) beside a gently crackling fire. Sherlock is in his dressing gown, sipping slowly on his mug of tea. John is glossing over the morning paper. He hums in acknowledgement.

"I thought," Sherlock continues, "I thought you might want to come along. My mother will cook entirely too much food -- not even Mycroft will manage past a third helping."

John snorts.

"Mycroft will be there?" he asks.

"Yes, well, it's a large estate. Plenty of ground to walk over. You can avoid seeing him for the entire evening if you wish."

"Is that what you'll be doing, then?" John asks with one eyebrow quirked up.

"Certainly," says Sherlock.

John laughs, and returns to his paper.

Sherlock clears his throat.

"I was also -- I thought I'd invite Mary..."

The fingers clutching the newsprint clench, but John gives no other indication that he's heard Sherlock.

"It's been months since you've spoken," Sherlock goes on. "Christmas spirit and all -- seems a fitting time for reconciliation."

Sherlock is expecting a violent outburst. John, ever-surprising John, however, sighs and lowers his paper in a resigned manner.

"I suppose you're right," he says quietly. "I can't hold it against her forever."

Sherlock feels his eyebrows crease and his stomach drop.

"You'll go back to her, then?" he asks. His tone is much softer, more vulnerable than he'd like it to be.

"What am I supposed to do, Sherlock?" John demands. "She's carrying my child -- Christ, she's got to be seven months on now -- and I haven't been there for any of it. However I'm feeling about her at the moment, that kid doesn't deserve this."

Sherlock feels himself nod once. He understands, but that doesn't make it hurt any less.

"I'll -- I'll call her, then."

John sighs, an inscrutable expression crossing his features as he looks at Sherlock. It's gone before Sherlock can fully comprehend what he sees.

"Thanks," says John. He folds the paper and rises to his feet. "I think I'm going out for a bit. Just a walk -- I might stop at the cafe down the street if you want something for lunch --"

He's moving towards the door to grab his coat as he speaks. Sherlock says something under his breath -- something he immediately regrets, and he hopes John doesn't hear.

"I don't want you to go back to her," he whispers.

John does freeze with one hand on the door handle. He turns to stare at Sherlock, who decides on impulse that it's now or never.

"Please, John," he says. "Please, I lo--"

"Don't." John cuts him off mid-sentence, his voice low. "Don't say it, Sherlock. Don't make this any harder than this has to be. Because I --" he has to stop to clear his throat. "I'm the same way... but we can't...  _I_ can't... the baby --"

"I understand," says Sherlock, his voice cold and impassive once more. "You do what you have to do, John."

John opens the door and leaves without hesitation, as if he's afraid of what will happen if he stays. Rather than dwell on their exchange, Sherlock reaches for his mobile and dial's Mary's number.

"Mrs. Watson," he says cordially when she answers on the other end, "how have you been?"


	2. Spider

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by a random thing I saw on tumblr... trigger warning for arachnids.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll have you all know, I looked up pictures of a cardinal spider as research for this fic. I am still traumatized. I hope you appreciate my plight.
> 
> Also, I'm taking requests for this fic. Please send them in!

"John."

John groans and snuggles deeper under the covers.

" _John_."

He blinks one eye open slowly and peers at the clock on his bedside table. 3:32 am.

"JOHN!"

John throws himself upright to glare at his flatmate, who is wide-eyed and pale.

"Bleeding Christ,  _what_ , Sherlock?"

"There's a spider over the fireplace."

John blinks several times, counting his breaths to calm his temper.

"So?" he snaps.

"Do something about it."

John is about to retort, but the image of Sherlock's appearance -- white-faced and jittery -- suddenly processes through his brain.

"Sherlock, are you _afraid_ of spiders?"

Sherlock scowls.

"Fears, rational or irrational, are brought on by trauma and stress, typically during the childhood years --"

"Yeah, but seriously," John interrupts, "worlds only consulting detective, brought down by a harmless arachnid --"

"Hardly harmless!" Sherlock proclaims. "People can  _die_ from the venom of certain species --"

"Less than thirty per year," says John. "Go back to bed, Sherlock --"

"It's huge!" Sherlock whines. He sounds like a petulant child.

John sighs.

"Alright, fine," says John. He climbs out of bed, shivering at the loss of warmth, and follows Sherlock down the stairs.

* * *

 

"Holy fuck!"

"Told you it was huge," whines Sherlock. He's cowering behind John, who has frozen in the entryway, his eyes locked on the atrocity clinging to the mantle of the fireplace.

"Huge!" John whispers, "it's the size of a fucking saucer!"

"Kill it."

"I'm not going near that thing!"

"What, the brave army doctor frightened of a 'harmless arachnid?'"

"That is  _not_ an arachnid," John snaps, "it's a monster."

The 'monster' makes a sudden movement, which causes John to make a dive for the sofa, and Sherlock to scream and clutch at John's waist.

"Don't leave, John!"

"I'm not leaving, Sherlock, Christ --"

"I promise I'll never leave body parts in the freezer or the microwave ever again --"

"Don't get ahead of yourself --"

The spider jerks again, sliding an inch down the wall.

"I don't want to die, John!"

"Sherlock, you're suffocating me --"

"Please, John, I love you -- I'll do anything --"

"Calm down -- wait, what?"

"What the bloody hell is going on up here?"

Mrs. Hudson stands framed in the doorway in her dressing gown, her arms crossed.

"There's a giant spider on the mantle -- John's too scared to kill it --"

"Oi!" John protests.

Mrs. Hudson turns to look where Sherlock is pointing with a shaking finger. She doesn't flinch when she sees the spider, she just rolls her eyes.

"Oh, boys," she sighs. She goes into the kitchen, fetches a large bowl and a piece of newspaper, and goes to scoop the spider up. The sound it makes as it scuttles around frantically inside the bowl makes Sherlock shriek again and run for his room.

"John, dear, do you mind opening the window?"

John does -- he crosses to the window and throws it open quickly before running back to the couch. Mrs. Hudson calmly approaches the open sill and then tosses the offending creature out onto the street.

"There," she says with finality, and she sets the newspaper an the bowl down on the desk. "Now, go back to bed."

She doesn't look at John as she trudges back off down the stairs.

"Sherlock!" John calls down the hall. "It's gone."

He gets only a pained whimper in response.

"Do you mind coming back out here?" John says. "We have something to talk about --"


	3. Dying

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A typical text conversation between Sherlock and John.

**13:38 from Sherlock Holmes**

_John, come home immediately. SH_

 

 

**13:42 from John Watson**

_At work._

 

**13:43 from Sherlock Holmes**

_I'm dying. SH_

 

**13:45 from John Watson**

_I don't care how bored you are, I've got work._

 

**13:45 from Sherlock Holmes**

_No I'm literally dying. SH_

 

**13:48 from John Watson**

 

_Symptoms?_

 

**13:50 from Sherlock Holmes**

_Can't breathe_. _SH_

 

**13:51 from John Watson**

_And yet you can text me perfectly fine._

 

**13:56 from John Watson**

_Ha ha. very funny._

 

**13:59 from John Watson**

_Sherlock?_

 

**14:00 from John Watson**

_Sherlock seriously stop joking about._

 

**14:00 from John Watson**

_I've left work and phoned an ambulance you twat._

 

**14:01 from John Watson**

_Answer your bleeding phone Sherlock._

 

**14:02 from Sherlock Holmes**

_John did you know that the average person produces enough saliva in a lifetime to fill two swimming pools? SH_

 

**14:02 from Sherlock Holmes**

_Also why are there paramedics outside our flat? Has something happened to Mrs. Hudson? SH_

 

**14:02 from John Watson**

_I WILL FUCKING MURDER YOU YOU FUCKING DICK!!!!!_

 

**14:03 from Sherlock Holmes**

_We could skip the murder. Just do the other thing. SH_

 

**14:04 from John Watson**

_WHAT IS THAT EVEN SUPPOSED TO MEAN????_

 

**14:04 from Sherlock Holmes**

_Really, John. Use your deductive prowess. SH_

 

**14:05 from John Watson**

_ARE YOU SERIOUSLY TRYING TO PROPOSITION ME RIGHT NOW YOU MAD COCK?_

 

**14:05 from Sherlock Holmes**

_Obviously. SH_

 

**14:06 from Sherlock Holmes**

_Is it working? ;-) SH_

 

**14:06 from Sherlock Holmes**

_Ignore the emoticon. I don't know why I did it. Read somewhere that it's an effective flirting method. SH_

**14:07 from Sherlock Holmes**

_John? SH_

 

**14:08 from Sherlock Holmes**

_Have I misinterpreted? SH_

 

**14:08 from Sherlock Holmes**

_Let's forget this ever happened. SH_

 

**14:08 from John Watson**

_HOLD ON._

 

**14:09 from John Watson**

_NO you have not misinterpreted. YES it is working. BUT for the record we are going to have a long talk when I get home about what constitutes "dying" and "not dying." THEN I'm going to shag you into the floor for six hours straight BECAUSE I've been in love with you ever since the chemistry lab at Bart's. UNDERSTAND?_

 

**14:10 from Sherlock Holmes**

_Six hours John? I'll believe it when I see it. SH_

 

**14:11 from John Watson**

_You really are asking for it._


	4. Love Letter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sherlock finds something that John wrote for therapy. Set before the Christmas reunion between John and Mary.

Sherlock's commandeered John's laptop again. That's how he finds it -- though he didn't have to dig very far. It's on an open word document, and it appears as soon as Sherlock hacks the password.

_Ella wants me to write this. She says it'll be good for me to get this out in the open, so here goes._

_I've been feeling like this for a very long time... probably since the day we met, if I'm being honest. He was never interested, though, so I went along with my life._ _For a while, I was content with us being friends. Sherlock's good company, even when he's being a twat. I didn't even mind it when he chased all my girlfriends away. Part of me thought -- hoped, perhaps -- that he did it because he was jealous. Really, though, I think he was just being Sherlock._

_Then he died for two years. That was more devastating than everything I saw in Afghanistan combined. But somehow I survived. I got through it. I met Mary. I was set to propose to her, and then Sherlock came back. I was so happy and furious... furious with him, though that didn't last long. I forgave him once I understood why he did what he did. Mostly I was furious with myself for moving on, for not believing in Sherlock Holmes... for not waiting._

_I got married anyway. I thought I could get back what Sherlock and I had before the fall, even with Mary in the picture. Trouble was, I didn't just want what Sherlock and I had before. I wanted more._

_Then Mary shot him, and I almost lost him for real. I've tried to figure out what the turning point was in all this madness. I think that was it. I realized I've just been waiting for Mary to give me a reason to fall out of love with her... to give me a reason to go back to Sherlock._

_So there it is. I'm in love with Sherlock Holmes. Have been since the day I met him._

_And Sherlock, you daft berk, I know you've hacked my password again. Why don't you come up to my room and show me what you think about my little confession?_

Sherlock, who would do anything for his John, snaps the laptop shut and bounds up the stairs to do just that.

**Author's Note:**

> Please send me prompts!


End file.
